Beginning of an Errand Rafael
by Serpent and Wolf
Summary: Rafael and Michael have been sent to Earth to investigate strange happenings. First they have to settle in together, though. (Written by TJ)


     "Micheal.."  I muttered quietly, lifting my head as I walked into the room, which was decorated in a pattern of pure white and an off cream kind of white, my slightly light green eyes falling upon the one I was beckoning.  He didn't seem to hear me though, so I walked up behind the wooden bench he had sat himself on and placed a small hand on his shoulder in order to call his attention to me.  "Micheal.."  I said for the second time, and he finally turned his head to look upwards and behind himself, right at me.

     Almost crystal like blue eyes, that I knew could be harsh, I've seen him condemn enough damned souls, were soon staring right up at me.  However, I couldn't help but allow my eyes to lock on his..there was something about them..they were so deep you could search and search for hours and never find your way out once you got lost in them.  His hair was a light blonde, and it was as straight as a board, unlike my wavy hair, and it fell right down to about the middle of his back or a little above.  Every now and then a few long strands would stray and catch on his sharply defined cheekbones.  His features themselves also were on the sharp side, adding to the almost intimidating effect Micheal was known to have on people, though I never really felt that way, perhaps because we'd worked together for so long, and I would have considered myself a close friend of his.  His garbs were not complicated and the hue of a pure white, much like mine.  I saw a thin smile tug at his features as he watched me.  He didn't smile much usually, but it did compliment him when he did.  I would never let him know I thought that of course.  He was quite a bit taller then me too, but that never really bothered me either.  

     "What is it, Rafael?"  He replied quietly, slowly extending a hand to pat the one that I had set on his shoulder but a moment before..I allowed this to go on for a moment or so before I removed it.  I saw a flash of some kind of negative, perhaps horrified emotion in his eyes as he watched me, but I couldn't figure out why for the time being. 

     "Gaberial has requested our presence."  I muttered quietly, thus fufilling the reason I had come seeking Micheal in the very first place. He nodded as I took a small step backwards and concentrated.  But a moment later, large white wings sprang from my shoulderblades, coming to rest just around the back of my knees or so, hanging motionlessly after a moment.  I watched as the taller ArchAngel then stood, similiar wings coming from his own back rapidly.

     "On what subject?"  Was what I heard next, the two of us turning and beginning to walk down the beautifully decoared hallway, which was fashoned of a mixture of black and brown marble, with clouds as the floor.  Rather plush and puffy feeling on the feet, really.  However, I didn't answer my old friend..I soon found my head bowing, green eyes focused on the white puffs.  I soon found my mind drifting away from the task at hand..and well, to things I knew it should not be drifitng to..Micheal for instance..and what his arms about me..though more then in a friendly fashion I found myself horrified to discover..those thoughts I'd found myself having more and more frequently, and they made me rather apprehensive.

     "Micheal, Rafael, welcome."  Boomed a rich, loud male tone of voice as the hallway ended, and we walked through a doorframe, into another hallway.  Paintings covered the walls from top to bottom in here, depicting all kinds of sins of Earthians and in some cases, White Angels,  and also the punishments they recieved because of their wrongdoings.  I found my eyes focusing of one of two male White Angels, in an embrace..then it spiraled down, and on the bottom section, the one was sinking down into Hell, screaming bloody murder, and the other was cowering in front of a formidible looking ArchAngel, looking as if he was begging for forgiveness...both of their wings were black at the bottom..that painting struck my very being, and I was forced to look away from the walls, feeling almost sick to my stomach.  I then directed my eyes to the tall male standing before us, the ArchAngel in that painting, actually..the ArchAngel Gaberial. He was taller then even Micheal, and his white blonde hair hung down in a thick curtain to his waist.  His stone grey eyes set upon Micheal and I, watching us silently for a moment, those eyes void of any kind of emotion. 

     "Why have you summoned us here, Gaberial?"  I whispered in a hushed, respecful tone of voice that I knew this one deserved..why, he was even ahead of us in means to authority, the reason why he could order us around if he so pleased.  As I said this, both Micheal and I went down in a full bow, on our knees, ahnds on the ground, eyes closed for a momet out of respect.  As I allowed my eyes to open for a moment, I caught a glimpse of his wings.  Magnificant, beautiful appendages, if I did say so myself..his were ground length, a bit longer then Micheal or I's, and instead of pure white, they were trimmed in a bright, dazzling golden hue around the edges.  After a couple moments of silence, we were beckoned to stand, which both of us did immediatly of course..one would have had to have been a fool to disobey Gaberial on Eden or anywhere else if they were under his jurisdiction.

     "Angels have been vanishing, without a trance, on Earth, both the saved and the damned."  Came the answer, Gaberial bringing a hand to his forehead for a moment, as if trying to head off a large headache coming upon him.  "You two are the most able and qualified to look into this dire situation."  He added softly after a moment or two.  Micheal and I hurriedly nodded at the same time, and Gaberial released us to carry out his orders.  We walked, side by side, to the very edge of our homeland, Eden, and peered down into space, upon the place we were to go, Earth.  I watched as something appeared in Micheal's outstretched hand, though I wasn't close enough to see what it was, stepping forward as two spheres whizzed toward us, each large enough for one of us.  I stepped into mine, and not a moment later, it was airlifting me to the planet bathed in sin.  I watched out of mine for a moment, unable to help but worry a bit about Micheal, and if his sphere would make it allright..I forced the thought out of my head.

     Micheal and I, if one didn't understand such things by now, were ArchAngels of the place called Eden, just like Gaberial, just down a few notches on the ladder.  Our job, our duty, was to watch over Earth and its inbitants, and that shall forever be our mission and goal.  White Angels, however, were not excused from their own sets of rules, however..and if they chose to break those rules, they could rapidly lose their status, and become what most dread to think about...Fallen Angels..their beautiful white wings turn a hidoes black, and they are doomed to go to Hell and suffer for all eternity once they die. Those rules I speak of were ancient..most believe they were established..by..well, Him Himself..when he made everything and everyone, at the beginning of time.

     The guidelines were very simple and easy to follow, no catches or hidden terms..if one broke them, they knew very well they did.  White Angels, and this goes especially for ArchAngels, were not supposed to fall in love with someone from earth, and Earthian, a fallen angel, or an angel of the same gender.  Those were the thoughts that had tormented me for some time now, and continued to do so in the small, quick ride to Earth as well.  It made that sickly feeling I had gotten when staring at that painting in Gaberial's hall multiply all the more.  I soon pushed this out of my mind, however, sighing in relief as my sphere finally hit the ground gently and disappeared, I seeing Micheal's follow suite.

     I looked around quickly, half because I was anxious to see our surroundings, half in an attempt to shake those damned sinful thoughts away from my being.  I soon fathomed that we were in the middle of a park..the sights that caused me to come to this conclusion was the fact there were flowers blooming in more then one place, and they were quite beautiful, I must add.  I also sighted a pond, and, right next to the pond, a bench, where one could sit and watch the pond more then likely, a couple trees on either side.  The full moon was sitting high in the sky for the moment, it must have been rather late in the evening., perhaps around midnight.  We would have to find housing tomorrow, tonight it was too late to do so.  I jumped slightly as a loud clang rang through the night, from the large clock not far away, this testifying I had been right in my estimation of the time.  I saw Micheal glance over at me as our wings vanished in a poof.

     I edged forward to peer at myself over the edge of the pond, I was a bit curious as to what I was wearing now.  My eyes widened in surprise as I observed the snug fitting dark jeans on my bottom half, the tucked in white button down shirt on my top half, and a dark jacket with its sleeves tied around my waist, since it was a rather warm evening.  Soon, I just -had- to know what my partner was wearing.  So I quickly turned my head, and I couldn't help but give a small chuckle as I saw what he was wearing.  He was clad in light, light blue denim jeans, they looked faded, worn, brown leather boots, and a white tank top with a sports jacket atop of that, unzipped.  I couldn't help thinking to myself he looked rather cute, but I immediatly mentally slapped myself for such thoughts, quickly peering up at the moon, forcing my eyes away from the larger ArchAngel.

     "We'll need to sleep here tonight.."  He said quietly, watching me as he sat down on the bench.  I slowly moved to join him, sitting rather close to him.  I was quite on the exhausted side, all this excitement had made me rather tired.  I didn't hear any compliants as I quickly shifted, without even thinking about what I was doing, really, to lay with my head on Micheal's right shoulder, using his chest as a makeshift pillow for myself.  I was already half asleep by the time I felt his strong arms close around me, so I'm sure that part I dreamed.

     I slept for a rather long time..that usually happened when I got overly tired.  By the time I did awake, I found myself laying out, on my right side on the bench, alone.  I quickly sprang up, noting the clock read around 10:30 or so...I frantically looked around, my heart feeling as if it stopped as one thought immediatly made itself known in my head---h..he was like all the others..gone.  I sprinted off the bench quickly, beginning to search the entire place for him, feeling steadily more and more like I wanted to cry as the time wore on and I kept on not finding him.  

     Around a half an hour later, though for me, it had been like enternities, my frantic eyes fell upon a tall figure, approaching the enterance of the park..this one had long, straight hair..blue eyes..MICHEAL!  I rapidly dashed for him, throwing my small arms about his waist tightly, peering up at him, hoping the tears in my eyes weren't too visible.  "I...I awoke, and you weren't with me..I thought you were gone like the others.."  I whispered as he looked down at me, probably seeking an explaination for my behavior.  He wrapped his arms around me tightly for a moment, just hugging me, probably to reassure me he and I were both going to be fine.  After what seemed like too short of time, we seperated, he beginning to lead me to the apartment he told me he had found..that's where he had been..silly me.

     "I have an apartment for us to stay.."  He said, leading me along, I following blissfully now, still highly pleased that I had been wrong about his disappearence.  "What is it like?"  I asked breathily, almost unable to believe that we already had a place to live.  "The kitchen is slightly on the small side..but the living room and bedroom are good sized..."  He responded, adding quickly, however, "I've put myself on the couch though, so we don't have to share the bedroom or anything."  I nodded wordlessly, not about to say that I wouldn't mind that in the slightest.  

     I instead nodded and murmured, "It sounds simply marvelous, Micheal."  I forced myself to be happy about this..and when I thought he wasn't looking, I placed my hand in his, though only very briefly, unable to help but love the feel of that.  Soon, we were in the apartment, and he was showing me around the living room, which was on the spacious side.  I think I heard him chuckle a little as I began to circle the room happily, like a child just given candy.  I soon came upon a rather large window that had a wonderful view of the park we had slept at the night before.  That's when the thoughts started coming back, and I could feel my face fall, and I gave the quietest of sighs.

     "Rafael..."  I heard Micheal say, though it was like he was in a void..seperate from me and far, far away.., "What's wrong?"  Yes..I couldn't help thinking he always would be far too far away from me..unreachable, unattainable as far as I was concerned..the thought was beginning to make  my legs and heart feel heavy..like an enormous weight was impacting my small chest.  My eyes closed before I turned and raised my head, then allowing my eyes to come in direct contact with Micheal's and stay there...then I muttered, hearing my voice sound flat and oddly disappointed, "Nothing, Micheal..it's nothing.."  I never took my eyes away from him, and it was clear from his facial expression that he did not believe me.  I didn't blame him, I wouldn't have believed me either.  


End file.
